West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-09-16
INDIA'S SIMPLE TOOLS.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ONLY PLoW
USED. IN THE COUNTRY.

Why the Modern Plow Cannot BE Introt
duced-Cattlc of India-Drilling Seed.
The Purooha anS the Koorpee-Uow
Grass Is Cut.
One great fact which strikes n European
observer in India is the absence of tools. Not
only are steam plows, thrashing machines,
elevators and such like modern appliances
completely unknown, but the Indian culti-
vator is quite unprovided with many Of the
simple tools which have been in use in
England for centuries, and which an English
laborer regards as absolute necessaries. To
begin with the most typical Of agricultural
implements, the plowl 1t consists Of two
pieces Of wood one long beam, which Is
fastened by yoke to two bullocks; the other
an upright attached TO its foot near the beam,
so that the beam slopes up from the ground
to the shoulders Of the oxen. The upright is
about three feet long, and is shod at the end
with q thick wooden shoe pointed with iron
This instrument complete, costs about
shilling, and is practically the only plow used
in India. With such plow it IS, Of course,
impossible to turn the earth over; the plow-
man merely scratches the ground, and thus
loosens the soil to the depth of about four
inches. Between each furrow, too, piece Of
unloosened earth must be left on account OF
the shape Of the shoe, which is wedge.
However, since oxen and plowmen both cost
very little the operation Of plowing can DO
repeated frequently, and SO finally the soil
gets fairly well moved, though not beyond a
depth Of four or five inches.
INTRODUCTION OF PLows.
With regard to better plows, the govern
ment of these provinces, the northwest prov
ince and Oudh, does all il can TO facilitate
their introduction. We have an agricultural
department which has established model
farm at Cawnpore. This department has
also caused to be constructed several varieties
of light plows specially suited to the needs Of
the country. These plows are shown at the
fairs, which are held every year in the pro-
yincial towns, and sometimes an enterprisirg
land owner is induced to buy one. They are
not expensive, according to English notions,
but it is difficult 10 compete In price with
plow that costs shilling. lt
However, when the plow has been bought,
there is still great difficulty to overcome.
Though these plows are made as light rs is
possible consistent with moderate efficiency.
only the stronger cattle are able TO draw
them, so that only those who are rich enough
and far seeing enough TO purchase good cattle
and feed them well, are able TO use these
plows at all. Now the immense majority OK
Indian cultivators are extremely poor, and as
to devising or adopting Improvements, not
only are they content to follow the methods
of their ancestors, but they regard alterations
as almost impious.
That the cattle in India should he poor IL
not to be wondered at, for their food con-
sists almost exclusively OF chopped straw and
fallen leaves 1t is hardly necessary TO re-
mark that there are no chaf cutters on an
Indian pessant's holding, SO all the straw
has to be chopped by hand. The instrument
used is heavy knife, and the man or woman.
crouching OH the ground, chops the straw on
block Of wood.
The method of drilling seed employed about
here is extremely simple, and at the same
time ingenious. A basket in the shape OF an
inverted sugar loaf, with the tip cut Oft, IL
fixed to the handle Of the plow, so as 10 point
directly down into the furrow The peasant
holds the plow, and his wife walks beside him
dropping handfuls Of seed into the basket
The tapering shape OF the basket causes the
seed TO drop out gradually, so that the drill
ing is fairly even. The lines, however, ara
not very regular, for the Indian plowman IL
not very successful In his efforts 20 attain "a
straight furrow, nor would an English plow-
man be successful with such plow.
PURooHA AND RooRpHE.
or other agricultural or garden instruments
the two most important are the purooha and
the koorpee The former is a sort OF mattOck
or short handled, big bladed hoe. The badc
Is nearly as big as that Of an English spnde.
and slightly crooked. The man stands facing.
the unbroken ground, as in using picknx.
takes chop at the ground, scoops up a spit
full Of earth, and swings II behind him. This
method Of digging has its advantage whcre
the surface Of the ground is hard, but for
stiff, moist ground the English spade is dis
tinctly better. A tool exactly like the purooho
is used in Italy for digging or hoeing among
the vines.
Tho koorpee seems, IN tho eyes Of an Eng
lishman, to be more suited for use as "a tooth
pick than as garden tool. In shape aud
size 1t Is not unlike a carpenters chisei, but it
Is used much as garden trowel would be
used in England. An Indian gardener, as
lar as | hnve been able 10 observe, seldom
DIGS the ground. He sits on his launches and
prods the earth with bis tiny troweI. The
Same instrument Is also used for cutting
grass. The grass cutter, squatting ON his
launches and shuffiing along, seizes with bis
left hand tuft Of grass, and tears it or by
pressing it against the edge Of the koorpee.
or course, in this process good many Of tho
roots are torn up. but the grass cutter docs
not mind about that; the grass IS sure TO grow
aoain when the rain falls
Another method Of cutting grass Is with a
sort of scythe. The Indian scythe, or sword,
rs IL Is called, is merely a straight blade u
steel. or steel edged iron, about yard long.
The mower wraps some string or cotton
round one end OF the blade 10 form n handle.
then squats On his hauncbes ard slashes away
English people, as might he expected, are not
contented with these primitive methods for
cricket patches or tennis lawns, and wherever
English residents are there also arc moving
machines to be found. The native method of
cutting corn is as primitive as other Indian
agricultural methods. The sickle used il
barely one-fourth OF the size OF an English
sickle The laborer-always OH his launches
takes, not an armful, but handful of
stalks in his hand, and saws them of with li.5
sickle-Harold Cox.
A Toll Taking Device.
An automatic toll taking device has been